Greater Akron shows stagnant growth in latest Census estimate. Which city grew the most?
With a few exceptions, most communities in Greater Akron are experiencing stagnant population growth or slight declines, according to the latest U.S. Census estimates.
The U.S. Census Bureau recently released information on Ohio's population changes from 2021-2022, showing how communities within Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit and Wayne counties have shifted in terms of an estimated decline or growth in residents.
The college town of Kent in Portage County saw the largest estimated increase in the region by far, jumping 9.6% from 24,778 in 2021 to 27,147 in 2022.
The city's population growth coincided with Kent State University students returning to town after retreating to their hometowns during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, Kent's population still hasn't returned to its 2020 level of 28,182 residents.
Meanwhile, Akron's estimated population dropped by 41, from 188,550 in 2021 to 188,509 in 2022.
President and CEO of Greater Akron Chamber Steve Millard acknowledged the challenges of growing the Akron's population.
"Stagnant population growth is an ongoing challenge for many communities like ours that are adjusting to a new mix of work locations, and a flight of jobs and opportunities, from urban downtowns to suburban and rural communities. These issues require long-term, sustained effort to drive improvement," Millard wrote in an email.
"There is work going on every day in our community to increase our visibility and attractiveness as a place to live and work. Whether it’s connecting young people to information about opportunities within our city for in-demand jobs, to increasing the visibility of the active arts, culture, social, economic, and recreational activities going on downtown every day – there is no doubt we must do more to give people in our region access to and opportunities to experience what downtown activities, living and working is all about."
Here are some other highlights from the latest Census estimates for the region.
Summit County
Within Summit County, most communities were estimated to have little to no changes in population from 2021 to 2022 with little to no changes.
Cuyahoga Falls lost the most number of estimated residents in the county. The city lost an estimated 208 residents in 2022, falling from 50,863 to 50,655.
The city of Twinsburg had the largest population climb, growing by an estimated 74 residents over the 2021-2022 year, climbing from 19,342 to 19,416.
The other community in Summit County with an estimated population growth was Northfield, which grew by an estimated four residents to 3,531.
Portage County
Aside from Kent, Aurora had the biggest estimated population growth in Portage County, increasing about 1% (or 178 residents) to 17,528.
Ravenna had the biggest loss of residents within the county. An estimated 47 residents have moved out of the city, dropping the population to 11,298.
Medina County
For the majority of Medina County, communities tended to remain flat, with the exception of two outliers.
Brunswick lost an estimated 153 residents, while Wadsworth gained an estimated 159.
City Manager of Brunswick Carl DeForest said he believes that regardless of the numbers, Brunswick continues to remain on an upward path.
"Estimates are just estimates. I believe that it's inaccurate...the city has continued to flourish and have been building more homes for the past few years," DeForest said.
Stark County
A majority of communities in Stark County saw small declines in residents.
The biggest decline was found in Canton, which lost an estimated 556 residents, falling from 70,227 to 69,671.
One of the few Stark County communities that grew was Massillon, which increased by an estimated 95 residents from 32,197 to 32,292.
Wayne County
Like the rest of the counties in the region, Wayne County saw flat population numbers.
The city of Wooster grew an estimated 1.8% from 26,541 to 27,031, adding an estimated 490 residents within the city.
Other Wayne County communities saw their populations change by an estimated 14 residents or less.
Heading toward change
Millard said he remains confident that Akron and and surrounding communities can grow
"Based on the business investment trends we are seeing in Ohio, and the interest in communities and lifestyle options that exist in Akron and Summit County, we are optimistic about the long-term outlook," he said. "While it’s not easy to reverse these trends, we have the fundamentals in terms of people, job opportunities, work ethic, amenities, and quality of life, that can come together to do so."
Want a closer look?
Each of the five counties in the Greater Akron area are shown along with the outliers within each county: the largest gain in population and the largest loss in population.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: U.S. Census estimate shows most Akron-area cities face stagnant growth
